Scottish Parliament

Written Answers

Thursday 9 September 1999

Scottish Executive

Business

Mr Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it proposes to initiate to ensure that the interests and views of business are taken into account when bringing forward legislation.

Henry McLeish: We are committed to minimising the regulatory burdens on business. It is already the case that a Regulatory Impact Assessment must accompany any new legislation and any consultation papers on regulatory proposals that have an impact on business, charities or voluntary bodies. I expect to bring forward further proposals in line with our commitment.

Business

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific measures it will introduce to assist small business in Scotland and whether it will work closely with the Enterprise and Life Long Learning Committee to develop a package of measures to promote small business in Scotland.

Nicol Stephen: We have a range of new measures in place or under consideration to assist small business in Scotland, including the new £12m Business Growth Fund and proposals to establish a mentoring scheme for start-up companies. We are also working with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to improve the quality and consistency of advice provided to small businesses across the Enterprise Network. We are very keen to work with the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee in taking these measures forward.

Education

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that all pupils who have entered Primary 1 will remain in class sizes of fewer than 30, at least until Primary 4.

Peter Peacock: Yes, regulations made in April this year supported by new resources provided through the Excellence Fund ensure that we will meet our key commitment to reduce class sizes for P1-P3 pupils by 2001. A small number of schools have applied for temporary exemptions from the regulations while building work is completed but every school will meet the 2001 target.

Education

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement on its plans to promote the involvement of parents in the education of their children.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Parental involvement in their children’s education is crucial. We are investing £15 million over three years to fund more home-link teachers, teacher/parent contact time, family learning initiatives and parent support groups.

Education

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement on the progress of the Scottish University for Industry.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish UfI is an exciting innovative project that must succeed if we are to create a learning nation. The Scottish UfI development team is working hard to ensure a successful launch in autumn 2000. I will publish a progress report next month.

Health

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what approach it proposes to adopt on NHS pay modernisation.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive believes that the present NHS pay system is outdated and needs modernising if it is to support the development of the modern, patient focused service we are determined to provide for the people of Scotland. In pursuing proposals to modernise the system we recognise the need to balance the benefits of UK pay mechanisms, such as the independent Pay Review Bodies, with the need for flexibility to implement new terms and conditions of service in ways that best meet the particular needs of the NHS in Scotland. We believe it is right and in the interests of the service in Scotland that we play a full part in the current talks aimed at developing a new UK-wide NHS pay system.

Health

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that adequate scientific resources are being applied to the outbreak of Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning.

Susan Deacon: Yes - the Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen are carrying out a comprehensive surveillance programme on these toxins and also detailed research studies.

Housing

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the position of home owners in Scotland.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Home owners with a mortgage are currently benefiting from low interest rates. To reduce the cost of house purchase we are keen to support sellers surveys. We are also currently studying whether legislation could help to safeguard those with mortgages who get into temporary financial difficulties.

Job-Sharing

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the use of job-sharing and under what circumstances it would refuse a request to job-share.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive fully supports staff who want to combine work with domestic responsibilities and has offered job sharing, part time work and other flexible working patterns for a considerable time. Job sharing involves identifying two members of staff with matching skills and abilities and work patterns which will complement each other and we strive to achieve a match in these areas which meets the needs of the staff and the manager involved.

  We have no record of a request to job share being refused.

Justice

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many crimes were committed in Scotland by those released on bail, and how many of these were crimes of violence, for each of the last five years.

Mr Jim Wallace: I shall write with full details. Between 1993 and 1997 convictions for offences committed on bail averaged just under 12,000 per annum. Of these, serious non-sexual offences of violence averaged around 600 per annum.

Local Government

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to provide details of its planned level of support for local authority capital spending for each local authority in financial years (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001-02.

Mr Jack McConnell: Because of the complexity and volume of information, I will write directly to the member and arrange to have a copy of the letter and the information placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre for the use of other members.

Local Government

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to specify the level of Scottish Office financial support for local authority capital spending for each local authority in financial years (a) 1994-95, (b) 1995-96, (c) 1996-97, (d) 1997-98 and (e) 1998-99.

Mr Jack McConnell: Because the information is lengthy, I will write directly to the member and arrange to have a copy of the letter and the information placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre for the use of other members.

Planning

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to use its planning powers to introduce a national moratorium on the erection of mobile telecommunication masts on school grounds and within densely populated areas such as multi-storey flats in line with the policy of "prudent avoidance" as recommended by Friends of the Earth.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has no such planning powers.

Rural Affairs

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the effects on the farming and the meat processing industries of (a) short-term and (b) long-term sales of Intervention Board beef; and whether it will make a statement on this matter.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive supports the thrust of the Agenda 2000 beef reforms which are designed to phase-out intervention as a means of supporting the beef sector, and by so doing eventually eliminating the various problems which arise when stocks have to be released on to the European market, or exported to third countries. In the short run, I think that it is important, wherever possible, to manage releases in a way which causes the minimum disruption to other farming and meat industries.

Rural Affairs

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on restoring the European beef market for Scottish producers.

Ross Finnie: A pre-requisite to beginning exports is to have meat plants dedicated under the Date Based Export Scheme. It is for companies to decide whether dedicating is a commercial proposition. We are aware that one plant is considering dedicating and a joint consortium are carrying out a feasibility study to establish the viability of working together to dedicate a plant.

Rural Affairs

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address the issues currently affecting the Scottish sheep farming industry.

Ross Finnie: I have already taken positive steps with the industry to encourage and promote increased sales of our lamb both at home and abroad. Extra money has been given to help find new markets too. Additionally, the European Commission has been asked to introduce private storage aids for lamb. I will be convening further meetings with the industry over the autumn to keep the position under review, and to look at any ways in which the present difficulties affecting the sheep sector might be relieved.

Transport

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many miles of dual carriageway in Scotland lack central reservation safety barriers and whether it will install such barriers with a view to reducing accidents and loss of life.

Sarah Boyack: 12 miles, on the A77 around Kilmarnock. Subject to the availability of funding, safety fencing will be installed by 2000-01.

Voluntary Sector

Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement on whether it intends to promote its relationship with the voluntary sector in Scotland.

Jackie Baillie: We will promote this relationship by means of the Scottish Compact which will be brought to the Parliament for endorsement this autumn.